- Date
- March 10, 2005, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Clermont, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N661TSchleicher ASW 27
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Orlando FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050310003989A
- Case key
- 61130
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadvertent deploying of the spoilers, while on final approach, resulting in the glider descending and impacting trees.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated after entering the traffic pattern on the downwind leg he noticed a motor glider on the runway. He continued to descend to land while keeping an eye on it, but allowed himself to get low in the traffic pattern. He compensated by cutting the pattern short. As he approached the edge of the runway he attempted to pull the flaps all the way back to clear some particularly tall trees, but mistakenly pulled the spoiler handle. The glider then impacted with trees. The responding FAA accident inspector stated he found the glider suspended by pine trees, about 30 feet above the ground in about a 60-degree nose low attitude. The tail section was broken away from the fuselage and there was extensive damage to both wings. He found the spoilers deployed and the flaps to be in the fully retracted position.
Factual narrative
On March 5, 2005, at 1400 eastern standard time, ASW-27, Glider, N661T, registered to and operated by a private individual, as aTitle 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed while on approach to land at, Seminole Lake Gliderport, Clermont, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The private-rated pilot reported no injuries, and the glider incurred substantial damage. The flight originated earlier that day, about 1330.
The pilot stated after entering the traffic pattern on the downwind leg he noticed a motor glider on the runway. He continued to descend to land while keeping an eye on it, but allowed himself to get low in the traffic pattern. He compensated by cutting the pattern short. As he approached the edge of the runway he attempted to pull the flaps all the way back to clear some particularly tall trees, but mistakenly pulled the spoiler handle. The glider then impacted with trees.
The responding FAA accident inspector stated he found the glider suspended by pine trees, about 30 feet above the ground in about a 60-degree nose low attitude. The tail section was broken away from the fuselage and there was extensive damage to both wings. He found the spoilers deployed and the flaps to be in the fully retracted position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N661T
- Reported as
- Schleicher ASW 27
- Category
- Glider
- Serial number
- 27151
- Airframe hours
- 384.9
- Engine
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard T Mockler
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 15, 2004 · 101.8 hours before
- Departed
- 6FLO · Clermont, FL
- Destination
- Clermont, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 6FLO · Seminole Lake Gliderport, runway 18, 3,000 × 200 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 2, 2004
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 6,812 total · 26 in this make and model · 6,736 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- GIF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.